Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди

           Ourarmour-bearersmetuswithweapons,andwesteppedintolitters,andtheslavestookusoffhotfoot.Thewoundedmanwhohadfirstbroughtthenewshadfalleninafaint,andnomoretidingswastobegotfromhim,butthegrowingdinofthefightgaveusthegeneraldirection,andpresentlywebegantomeetknotsofpeoplewhodweltneartheplaceofirruption,runningawayinwildpanic,loadeddownwiththeirhouseholdgoods.

           Itwasuselesstostopthese,asfighttheycouldnot,andiftheyhadstayedtheywouldmerelyhavebeenslaughteredlikeflies,andwouldinalllikelihoodhaveimpededourownsoldiery.Andsoweletthemrunscreamingontheirblindway,butforcedthelittersthroughthemwithbutverylittleregardfortheircowardconvenience.

           Nowtheadvantageoftherebels,whenitcametobelookeduponbyasoldier’seye,wasathingoflittleenoughimportance.Theyhaddrivenatunnelfrombehindacoveringmound,beneaththewalls,andhadopeneditcleverlyenoughthroughthefloorofamiddle-classhouse.Theyhadcomethroughintothis,collectingtheirnumbersunderitsshelter,anddoubtlesshopingthatthemarriageoftheEmpress(ofwhichspieshadgiventheminformation)wouldsapthewatchfulnessofthecityguards.Butitseemstheywerediscoveredandattackedbeforetheywerethoroughlyreadytoemerge,and,asafinebodyoftroopswerebarrackednearthespot,theirexterminationwouldhavebeenmerelyamatteroftime,evenifwehadnotcomeup.